Don’t Lose the Version of Yourself You Discovered on Holiday
There is a strange thing that happens at the end of summer.
We come back from holiday feeling lighter, clearer and, hopefully, more rested.
We have had time to sleep.
Time to think.
Time to talk without rushing.
Time to notice things that are difficult to see when every day is filled with meetings, deadlines, notifications and competing demands.
And then September arrives.
The inbox fills up.
The calendar becomes crowded again.
Someone needs an answer.
Another meeting appears.
Something is suddenly “urgent”.
And slowly, almost without noticing, we return to the same pace, the same habits and the same patterns that exhausted us before we left.
Within a couple of weeks, the holiday can feel like something that happened to another person.
But perhaps we are missing the point.
A holiday isn’t simply an interruption to work.
It can be a mirror.
When you finally have some distance from your normal routine, you can see more clearly what has been consuming your energy, where you have been saying yes too often, what you have been tolerating and what you have perhaps made unnecessarily complicated.
I’ve had countless conversations with leaders who return from time away saying some version of:
“I realised I don’t want to go back to doing things the same way.”
That’s the insight worth protecting.
Because the goal shouldn’t be to return to work with enough energy to resume the old operating system.
The goal is to use the clarity you’ve gained to change the operating system.
Maybe that means fewer meetings.
Maybe it means protecting time for strategic thinking.
Maybe it means becoming less available for every small decision.
Maybe it means delegating something you’ve been holding onto for too long.
Maybe it means finally having a conversation you’ve been postponing.
Or perhaps it simply means deciding that your calendar will no longer be allowed to dictate your priorities.
One of the questions I often encourage leaders to ask is:
“What did I notice about myself when I wasn’t constantly busy?”
Don’t rush past the answer.
There may be something important there.
And then ask:
“What would it take to bring 20% of that version of me into my working life?”
Not 100%.
We have responsibilities. Businesses to run. People to lead.
But perhaps 20% is enough to change the quality of your leadership.
More presence.
More perspective.
More patience.
Better decisions.
More space for other people to think.
Less reactivity.
The most valuable thing you bring back from holiday isn’t the energy to work harder.
It’s the perspective to decide what deserves your energy in the first place.
So as September approaches, don’t just ask yourself:
“What do I need to get done?”
Ask:
“How do I want to feel, lead and operate for the rest of this year?”
Then build your calendar around that answer.
Because the best holiday reset isn’t the one that lasts until Monday.
It’s the one that changes what Monday looks like.
To your success
Isabel
Which inisght has impacted you the most? Drop it in the comments!
Isabel Valle is a Global Leadership Strategist and ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) who helps senior leaders and organisations achieve high performance without losing their humanity.
With 25+ years of international leadership experience across Europe, Australia and Asia, Isabel combines strategic thinking, executive coaching and real-world leadership experience to help leaders build stronger leadership, high-performing teams and cultures where people can thrive.
She is the creator of LeadWise™ – Radically Human Leadership, a leadership philosophy grounded in the belief that sustainable performance starts with how we lead ourselves, develop others and shape the environments around us.
A keynote speaker, author and award-winning leadership expert, Isabel works with leaders who don’t simply want to perform better — they want to lead better, and make a lasting impact.